The McDonald County R-1 School District Board of Education, at its Aug. 8 meeting, selected a general contractor for the Noel Primary safe room project.
Jessica Struckhoff of Paragon, the architect for the project, told the board the low bidder was Branco Construction. Justin Branham, president of the company, was on hand to answer questions.
Dr. Scott Goldstein, president of the school board, asked about problems with a previous project that Branco handled for the school district. Branham said the problems on that project were masonry problems that were repaired at no cost to the district. He added that the mason no longer works for the company.
The board approved hiring Branco for the Noel Primary project.
The board also moved forward on the athletic sports complex, approving a fee for master planning. Struckhoff presented the board with a $31,000 fee for master planning on the project plus three options on surveys. Option A came with standard design surveys with a high level of accuracy and cost $37,000. Option B came with drone surveys with a lower level of accuracy and cost $21,000. Option C came with no surveys and no additional cost.
The board chose option A.
Also, Struckhoff said there would be a public forum regarding the athletic sports complex. It will be at 6 p.m., Aug. 20, at the McDonald County High School Performing Arts Center.
The McDonald County Press also learned that, at the July board meeting, the board approved a payment to Controlled Technology Solutions for $104,000. This amount was for design/development, renderings of an athletic field house and travel. CTS worked on the athletic sports complex project for a year before the board switched to Paragon in June.
Todd McCraken of L.J. Hart presented the board with an opportunity for debt service payment. The board voted to pay $1 million towards the school district's debt, which McCraken said would save taxpayers $63,000 in interest.
Director of facilities and maintenance Bob Campbell told the board he received a settlement from the insurance company on the central office flood. The total with the building and contents was $224,233, he said. He estimated the building could be occupied again in mid-November.
General News on 08/15/2019